Today is the last day in our Romans series until May, when we pick up again with chapter 11.

Our assignment today is to review where we’ve been thus far–all of chapters 9 & 10.

At Martha’s suggestion, I’ve decided to try out the Phillips Translation, to hear the text in a fresh way.

So let me pause and read it right now!

I liked it! Though it’s still a loose translation, and therefore not pretending to offer the literal words of God, I felt it clearly captured the thoughts of the text in a readable, conversational way.

I noticed that it retains controversial words like “hated” and “hardened” and that it didn’t sugar coat the kinds of “clay” options God can make: “a lovely vase” vs. “a pipe for sewage.”

I also liked how it used terminology that communicates clearly doctrinal truths, such as “those he considers fit to receive his mercy,” in 9:21-26, which hints at God’s sovereignty as well as man’s responsibility. Similarly, I liked how it added clarity in 10:5-8a by contrasting “righteouness-by-the-law” with “righteousness-by-faith.”